Marian Solidarity

O MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE
By Pope John Paul II
December 8, 2003

To you, O Mary, we turn our gaze with stronger trepidation,
to you we hasten back with more insistent trust in these times
scarred by a multitude of doubts and fears
for the present and future destiny of our planet.

To you, the first-fruits of humanity redeemed by Christ,
set free at last from the slavery of evil and sin,
we raise together our heartfelt, trusting plea:
listen to the cry of pain of the war victims,
of the victims of the many forms of violence
that bathe the earth in blood.

Dispel the shadows of sorrow and of loneliness, of hatred and of revenge.
Open to forgiveness the minds and hearts of all!

Queen of Peace, pray for us!

Mother of mercy and of hope,
obtain for the men and women of the third millennium the precious gift of peace;
peace in hearts and families, in communities and among peoples;
peace above all for those nations where people fight and die every day.
Obtain that every human being of every race and culture
may encounter and accept Jesus,
who came down to earth in the mystery of Christmas
to give His peace to us.

O Mary, Queen of Peace,
give us Christ,
the world’s true Peace!

from marytv.tv

We turn to her with faith, as the Second Vatican Council suggests, so “that she, who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers, may now, exalted as she is above all the angels and saints, intercede before her Son in the fellowship of all the saints, until all families of people, whether they are honoured with the title of Christian or whether they still do not know the Saviour, may be happily gathered together in peace and harmony into one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity” (Lumen gentium, n. 69).

We greet you, glorious Mother of the Redeemer, Ark of the Covenant, in whom the mystery of Redemption was fulfilled: in you the promise of Emmanuel, God-with-us, became a reality, and God was made our brother.

We greet you, humble Handmaid of the Lord, who gave the Son of God to mankind, and, as the obedient Woman, by your fiat you taught us to accept with docility all that he asks of us.

We greet you Blessed Virgin, who accompanied and followed your divine Son, suffering and crucified, to his death, and at the foot of the Cross became “our Mother”, Mother of the Church and of all humanity.

We greet you, Virgin who prayed with the Apostles in the Upper Room: by your intercession for us you obtained the gift of the Holy Spirit, who renews heaven and earth.

We greet you, glorious Virgin, in the mystery of your Assumption into heaven: in you God the Father anticipated what he intends to accomplish at the end of time for all those who die in communion with Jesus Christ, his Son and your Son.

We greet you, Queen of Angels and Saints; you intercede for us from heaven and sustain us on our earthly pilgrimage to the promised land: Keep our faith alive, our hope firm and our love fervent for God and for our brothers and sisters.

In contemplating the mystery of your Assumption O Mary, let us learn to evaluate earthly affairs in the proper light. Help us never to forget that our true and definitive dwelling place is heaven, and support us in our effort to live together here below in ever greater brotherhood and solidarity. Make us workers of justice and peacemakers in the name of Christ, our true peace.

Blessed Virgin, as you guide us like a bright star towards the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, grant that every man and every woman may recognize Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb, as their own Saviour.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

Pope John Paul II
Angelus 15 August 1996

from ewtn.com

World Youth Day (WYD) is one of the most treasured gift of Blessed Pope John Paul II to the youth. A few months from now, tens of thousand of young people and youth ministers from around the world will soon start their journey to Madrid, Spain for the 26th World Youth Day (WYD) celebration.

Sadly however, the financial requirement needed to attend the WYD celebration in Madrid is a great obstacle. Thus, only a few of our young people can attend the Madrid celebration.

Out of a fervent desire to bring this grace filled youth event to the Filipino youth, the Campus Ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Jesuit Communications Foundation Inc of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus together with Ateneo de Manila University, Tanging Yaman Foundation, Inc., the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao and the ECY-CBCP are spearheading a WYD 2011 Madrid local celebration right here in the metropolis.

Guided by the WYD 2011 theme, “ Planted and Built in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith,” the event dubbed as “WYD 2011 Madrid to Manila: Kabataan, Nakaugat Kay Kristo”, will be held on August 20 – 21 at the Ateneo de Manila University.

We wish to invite you, your community and the youth to come to participate in this event.

The speaker will be Bishop Carlito Cenzon, CICM, D.D. Bishop of Baguio.

Where: San Carlos Seminary Auditorium, EDSA, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City.

Everyone is welcome. ATTENDANCE IS FREE. Voluntary love offering is appreciated.

For inquiries, please contact 403-4534 (telefax no.) or 0917-5966031 (mobile no.). You may also email valuesmetrics@gmail.com.

Program
1:00 – 2:00 pm Holy Rosary and/or Film Showing
2:00 – 5:00 pm Conference and Open Forum
5:00 – 6:00 pm Eucharistic Celebration (Mass for the Day)

By tradition Joachim and Anne are considered to be the names of the parents of Mary, the Mother of God. We have no historical evidence, however, of any elements of their lives, including their names. Any stories about Mary’s father and mother come to us through legend and tradition.

We get the oldest story from a document called the Gospel of James, though in no way should this document be trusted to be factual, historical, or the Word of God. The legend told in this document says that after years of childlessness, an angel appeared to tell Anne and Joachim that they would have a child. Anne promised to dedicate this child to God (much the way that Samuel was dedicated by his mother Hannah — Anne — in 1 Kings).

For those who wonder what we can learn from people we know nothing about and how we can honor them, we must focus on why they are honored by the church. Whatever their names or the facts of their lives, the truth is that it was the parents of Mary who nurtured Mary, taught her, brought her up to be a worthy Mother of God. It was their teaching that led her to respond to God’s request with faith, “Let it be done to me as you will.” It was their example of parenting that Mary must have followed as she brought up her own son, Jesus. It was their faith that laid the foundation of courage and strength that allowed her to stand by the cross as her son was crucified and still believe.

Such parents can be examples and models for all parents.

Anne (or Ann) is the patron saint of Christian mothers and of women in labor.

Prayer:
Parents of Mary, pray for all parents that they may provide the loving home and faithful teaching that you provided your daughter. Amen

from catholicculture.org

The speaker will be Bishop Carlito Cenzon, CICM, D.D. Bishop of Baguio.

Where: San Carlos Seminary Auditorium, EDSA, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City.

Everyone is welcome. ATTENDANCE IS FREE. Voluntary love offering is appreciated.

For inquiries, please contact 403-4534 (telefax no.) or 0917-5966031 (mobile no.). You may also email valuesmetrics@gmail.com.

Program
1:00 – 2:00 pm Holy Rosary and/or Film Showing
2:00 – 5:00 pm Conference and Open Forum
5:00 – 6:00 pm Eucharistic Celebration (Mass for the Day)